Changing lives
Excited – Chair of Etc ., Stuart Blackett , says the group is ‘ making a real difference ’.
Etc . chair and financial leader Stuart talks helping to build skills for the future
Making a difference – Etc . chair Stuart Blackett says the group is at the heart of the community .
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Doing something that makes a real lasting difference to people ’ s lives has got to be the best part of life on the governing board of the Education Training Collective ( Etc .).
“ It doesn ’ t get much better than that ,” says Stuart Blackett , who took the reins as chair of the board last summer .
One year in the Etc . hot seat and he beams with pride for the Teesside-based college group , its dedicated staff , and thousands of learners .
On the back of a string of summer successes , for individuals and teams across the group , he says : “ It ’ s the type of place where you run out of superlatives .”
The Education Training Collective comprises four colleges in the Tees Valley – Stockton Riverside College , Redcar and Cleveland College , Bede Sixth Form College and The Skills Academy ( Billingham ), as well as engineering training provider , NETA Training .
Together , the Etc . sites offer everything from vocational courses and A levels to apprenticeship training , higher education , commercial and bespoke employer-led training .
It ’ s a world that just a few years ago , Stuart admits he knew little about . Today he describes it as “ exciting and challenging – but only in a good way !”
Following in the footsteps of his predecessor , Mark White CBE DL , was always going to be one of those challenges , as he says : “ Everybody knows Mark , or knows of him , because he is an ‘ education-lifer ’.”
Considering himself somewhat unknown in education circles , it initially felt like “ big shoes to fill ” for the Wynyard dad-of-two , but today he says : “ I now realise it is simply a case of different shoes .”
A chartered accountant by profession and chief financial officer at Railpen , Stuart brings his own unique set of strategic skills and expertise to the role . He values the part his fellow board members play , each bringing a wealth of experience to the group , among them vice chair of the board Dot Smith , who is also something of an “ education-lifer ”.
Appointing new Etc . chief executive and group principal , Grant Glendinning , last summer was one of the first big jobs under Stuart ’ s leadership .